1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers for storing blister cards containing medicaments and more particularly, for storing such blister cards to increase compliance and monitoring of long, complex therapeutic regimens.
2. Description of Prior Art
Treatment for certain medical disorders can involve a complex therapeutic regimen where the patient is required to take certain medications on certain days. Since the patient is required to take a particular medication at a particular point in the regimen and other medications at other times, the complexity of these regimens results in low overall compliance. Many blister cards have been developed which include indicia indicating at what time a particular medication is to be taken.
Leonard et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,849, discloses a blister card folded in-half containing one complete cycle of several medications to be taken over a one month period. Imprinted on the blister card is indicia which relates each pill or group of pills to a particular day of the month. The blister card is folded in half in order to reduce its dimensions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,567, to Knudsen, discloses a blister card housing two separate medicaments with indicia denoting that one type of medicament is to be taken during the day and the other medicament is to be taken at night. The blister card contains five full cycles; one cycle for each of five days.
The effectiveness of these blister cards are limited by the practical physical limitations on the dimensions of each card. Problems arise when a complete cycle of treatment cannot be conveniently placed entirely on one card.
When dealing with multiple cards it is entirely possible that at some point in the treatment, particularly if the treatment is lengthy, confusion will result and the wrong card will be pulled from the container. Consequently, the patient may take the wrong medication at the wrong time. To avoid this, it is desirable to provide a container for the blister cards which eliminates, or substantially reduces the likelihood of confusion.
It is an object of the invention to provide multiple medications to the patient for complex therapeutic regimens which increases compliance.
It is further an object of the invention is to provide a container for housing several blister cards.
It is likewise an object of the invention to provide a container which houses the blister cards in such a manner that only the card currently being used is exposed for removal.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a container which prevents shifting of the remaining cards during the interval while the current blister card is removed.
It is further an object of the invention that the current card cannot be reinserted other than in its proper order.
It is additionally an object of the invention to provide a means to monitor compliance which can easily be taken to the doctor.